Axe

A man who resembles Clint Eastwood at 40

Chapter 1 Signing On

Several Scouts laughed and lounged in the bar despite the early hour. Sitting quite apart from them were three Navy personnel. The handsome man on the left sat erect in a dress military jacket with five ribbons. The woman on the right had only two ribbons but also sat up straight with her black hair tied back tightly. In the middle was a slightly balding man with a bunched uniform and no ribbons. He asked questions of those in front of him, typed on his portal computer, and tried to avoid yawning. Unlike the Scouts, there were no drinks evident on the Navy table. The Scout in front of them finished his answers, shook hands with the handsome man, and went back to join his friends.

The man with the most ribbons cocked a look at the woman and shrugged. She nodded. The man in the middle finished and looked up. “Okay, ma’am. That’s four candidates entered. Any more needed?”

The room stirred as a man entered. His height and build were unremarkable but a long deep scar ran down the right side of his face and he was armed with a large holstered revolver on a worn gun belt. A brown jacket of ballistic cloth was loosely open and he stood at the door taking in the room - a small tavern with several empty tables, a bar tender behind a plain counter, the table with the three Imperial Navy people and their laptop, and a table with six Scouts two of whom quickly stood and smiled.

“Welcome, Axe!” The young man extended a tentative hand. “You don’t remember me but you sure helped with my first comms mission.”

Axe smiled in return, his right cheek twisting under the long scar. “I remember. You’re Carson. You play the guitar and have a good right hook. How’s your mom?”

His eyes went wide. “She’s doing much better. Thank you.”

The other Scout was blond and her hair even shorter than Carson’s. “Remember me too?” she asked.

“Tillings,” he replied, squinting. “Good cook at a campfire, dead shot with an auto rifle,…and a good judge of character.”

Axe pulled his wallet and fished out a 100 credit note reluctantly. “You were right about the geologist. She wasn’t as interesting as I’d hoped.”

Tillings nodded sadly and pocketed her winnings. “Sorry, Axe. Hated betting against you. But she wasn’t worthy…., and, you like dark hair. Remember?”

Axe blushed and put his wallet away. “Thanks, Tillings. Kinder words than this idiot deserves.”

He seemed lost in thought, then straightened and focused on the Navy table. Carson and Tillings followed his eyes. “If you’re applying too, I wasted my time,” muttered Carson half to himself.

“You don’t want this one,” replied Axe. “Things are heating up and that officer is looking for glory. You’d have to be a fool to scout for him on only Navy pay. Unless you really need money.”

Carson laughed and nodded. “That’s what I was thinking. Be careful if you take it. I owe you.”

“You don’t. That mission went well because you worked hard - my report was accurate.” Like a little boy handed a cookie, Carson beamed.

Axe shook hands with the two of them. “Call me when you decide to dye your hair.”

“Never,” Tillings laughed. “I’m no more fake than you are. Go take your lousy job, we didn’t want it anyway.”

Axe sighed, squared to the Navy table, and went up to it. He could read Navy ranks. The handsome man on the left was a Navy Lieutenant wearing a command insignia as well as ribbons and he had a familiar look. The petty officer in the middle was used to harder duties but did what was necessary. The woman on the right was a Lieutenant (junior grade). Despite her youth she had the air of experience and her piercing eyes made him feel slightly out of balance. She was very attractive and he fought very hard to ignore it.

“I’m guessing you’re the ones with the job posting.”

“Blazes!” the Lieutenant exclaimed when he looked up.

“Captain?” The woman had been about to speak.

“I…. I know this man, XO. Our patrol cruiser was out gunned. We’d been hit hard by two belligerent SDBs at Feri six years ago. We were goners. Until a man with a scar, that scar, jumped in with a little Type-S Scoutship and drew them off. I never knew if he survived. I woke up in a Navy hospital on Efate.”

There was a silence in the room as everyone looked at Axe. A Type-S Scoutship was no match for one SDB. Only a lunatic would attack two.

“Yes,” said Axe. “Well, it wasn’t my smartest move. Almost lost my right arm when my ship blew apart. But I made it into a vacc suit first and drifted for dead until your damaged ship came back and picked me up. So, all debts were squared. Besides, my shots were lucky ones. We’d both be dead if reinforcements hadn’t shown up.” He seemed embarrassed by what was obviously a crazy act.

“I’m a captain now. My ship is patrol cruiser, BRILLIANT. I need to hire an experienced former-Scout while I patrol for several months. Pay is 10,000 credits per month. I’d be honored if you’d take it.”

Axe smiled. “That’s more than I need. Axe Wilson reporting aboard, sir.”

The Lieutenant grinned fiercely. “Alright! This is my XO, LTJG Theresa Martin, and my storekeeper, Petty Officer Tim Travis. They’ll help you through the subcontracting paperwork. Can you be ready to depart as early as tomorrow morning?”

“Yes, Captain. I’ll be ready.”

“LT James Correll. Skipper if you like. XO? Get him signed in and show him where to bunk. We lift at 0900 tomorrow, briefing at 0800.”

The XO and Storekeeper snapped to attention as the LT stood. Axe straightened too as the LT walked out. The Scout table did not stand, but several did sigh as they realized that no new work as coming and they needed to move on.

“Have a seat, Mr. Wilson, “ the XO offered, realizing that her whole morning had just cleared.

She tried not to look at the man’s scar as she ran down the questions and Travis typed in the answers. She also avoided his eyes. The process went quickly but the answers were startling. Toward the end she found herself looking at the man’s whole face wondering how a man barely older than her had seen so much trouble. He didn’t look fearless or crazy, just…lonely somehow. She understood lonely. It made you do stupid things, take stupid risks. What would it be like to be around a man like this? Dangerous or exciting. She cursed herself for her thoughts. Typical.

They finished and went their separate ways. She slept badly that night but preparations for take-off kept her busy. Then it was time, and he greeted Axe at the air lock.

"Toss your bag in here,” she indicated. “Normally a scout would share a stateroom but the CO says you’re special.”

“Not special.” Axe eyed the two bunks and dropped his bag on one. “If you later need to stick someone in here it won’t bother me.”

He unbuckled his gun belt and rolled it up in his bag. Terry frowned. “Normally weapons are locked in the ship’s locker.”

He shook his head. “Okay, special. If a boarding team gets aboard us, and not the other way around, you’ll want me to have that.”

“The Skipper says you know what you’re doing,” she shrugged. “Be careful. That caliber might go right through the hull.”

“It would. “But I’m no good with a sword. You?”

“Yes, I was a top fencer at the Academy.”

Axe followed her out, watching as she led him to the morning briefing.

“Used it in combat?” he asked.

She turned and looked at him strangely. “I could if needed.” Her face was pretty but her eyes were intense now.

“Okay. Has this crew seen combat together yet?”

They approached the cargo bay on the main deck where the crew appeared to be gathered around a portable computer sitting on a large metal crate.

“No, but we’ve drilled for days. The Skipper is very dedicated and the crew understands the stakes.” Axe squinted and nodded while she waited for a response that didn’t come.

“We’re ready. You’ll see.”

“Okay,” began Correll as they entered. “Our mission is to suppress piracy in the Sub sector and to observe and report on Vargr and Zhodani movement while enforcing customs laws of the Imperium and assisting ships in distress. That’s it. The rest is up to us. We patrol independently. The nineteen of us report to no one else without my specific authorization until we are done. Much of the time we will be in EMCON, radio silent and passive only. Some of our boardings will even be unannounced. We are going to make enemies. Our silence and our invisibility will be our safety. We will disappear and pop up unexpectedly and report to no one. Got it?”

A chorus of “Ayes” were his reply.

“This is Axe. He is not military. He was hired as the best former-Scout on a world known for its Scouts. He saved my life once already. Listen to him and he might save yours too. Axe?”

“Thanks, Captain.” Axe looked the crew over. They were young but focused. It did appear that they had been training heavily.

“Piracy in this sub sector is centered on Keng. Shionthy and Moughas after that. Pirates avoid the main trade routes and those worlds with Navy or large Scout bases. From Keng, Shionthy, and Moughas they hop out to a decoy world and then jump to a target.”

Some eyebrows arched and several crew members leaned in. The brief went on for half an hour. Then Axe stopped and asked for questions. There were many and the conversation was animated. Finally, Correll stepped in.

“Where do you recommend starting?”

“That depends. Always good to warm up. But, if you want to be remembered, take early shots at the heart, not the arms or legs.” Axe pointed to Keng.

One man had been quiet the whole time with arms folded across a deep chest. “No offense or nothing, sir, but I’ve been on three cruisers for over four years. I’ve never seen a corsair yet.”

“We’re going to fix that for you, Collins” said Correll. He turned to Axe. “If we get shot up and need repairs, where do we head?”

“Socrates Station at Shionthy. But they won’t love you and we’ll be our own security. After that Inthe or Feri, and Feri won’t be a picnic despite the base.” Several heads nodded.

“Okay,” closed Correll. “We lift in thirty minutes for Roup first. Plan on a full round of drills on the way out. Your ship, XO. Get her ready.”

Take off was routine and so was the work until lunch. But afterward the drills were long, and they resumed after dinner until just shy of the jump point at one hundred diameters out. Then the Nav Bill was set and engineers made certain that power was stable as Terry ran the computer analysis to prepare for the jump. Everyone donned vacc suits, strapped in, and the ship jumped. There was a queasy lurch and then they were in jump space with no stars and only swirling gray. Sleep that night was easy for some, hard for others.

The next few days were routine. In jump space every day was the same except Sunday. Ship’s work, lunch, combat and damage control drills, ship’s work, dinner, evening reports, and a holovid until time to turn in. Resting on Sunday.

In each exercise Axe had a role, either on the bridge helping interpret sensor readings during mock ship-to-ship combat, during mock boardings where he provided cover and was clearly the best shot, or during mock planet-side drills were his pistol was nearly as accurate as most members’ rifle shots as judged by the holovid computer. His knowledge of piloting was impressive too, and he quickly became part of the bridge team with the CO piloting, the XO operating the computer, and Axe watching for “opportunities” and assisting with piloting or computer operations while Terry coordinated and guided the gunnery team. The crew had been proud of their exercises before but they were less scripted now and everyone became aware that they were reaching a new level.

“That’s a wrap, everyone. No more drills this week. Sorry, don’t ask. I’ve made up my mind.” The CO was grinning and laughed at his own lame joke. “Tomorrow we jump out, maneuver in to Roup, and refuel and rest.”

Terry leaned back and rubbed her forehead. Her work uniform was sweaty and she needed a shower. She couldn’t remember her last rest. Her job was to make sure that everything went well. Always.

“We’re as ready as we can be, short of combat,” agreed Axe. “Hopefully the first action will be a small one.”

Correll nodded. “Aside from the two of us and one of the gunners, we are untested.”

“We’ll do well, Captain.” XO promised. “Everyone knows what they’re doing.”

Axe could see that everyone was excited and proud. This was not the time for him to dump cold water on the coals.

“As a crew we are as ready as exercises can make us, Captain,” Axe said quietly. “As you know, the rest will come in the chaos of combat…and the fear it brings. There is no training for that. You have been in that crucible or not. And afterward it leaves a mark. And that had to be survived as well.”

“Right as usual, Axe. As we begin boardings, I want your helping in finding a first engagement that is manageable.” Axe nodded. He had been thinking the same.

“Your ship, XO.” Get us ready to jump out. They saluted and the bridge began to clear leaving the XO to plunk back into her seat.

A few hours later the ship lurched out into real space and the stars came back on, some in a slightly different place. After a few nervous minutes the XO announced that there were no contacts in the area and they had hit their navigation mark. They were twelve hours out at the one hundred diameter point and she was already aiming for an orbit.

Four-point seat harnesses were unbuckled, vacc suits were removed, and depressurized spaces were re-filled. Dinner was served and afterward quiet settled as people turned in early. Tomorrow would be a busy day.

Axe walked up to the bridge. It too was quiet. Only the XO was there on watch, awaiting relief and a late dinner. Ahead, highly magnified, was a small image of Roup, blue and bright.

When she noticed him it was as if she felt electricity tingling. “Axe. Can’t sleep?”

“My world,” he gestured at the screen.

“I remember. It’s beautiful even this far out.”

“Yes,” he looked at her sadly. “Beautiful.”

“Dangerous too. You going down while we refuel?”

“Yes,” he replied. “The Captain offered your ship's boat. Want to come?”

Her breathing quickened. That would be stupid.

“I don’t know. What about flying lizards and criminals?” She couldn’t bring herself to say no. What was she thinking? This man worked for her. They lived in a little metal box without secrets.

He shook his head. “We’ll avoid those. The Amber Zone is really to protect the locals. The tech level is coming up but needs to come up slowly.”

Terry argued with herself while she checked sensors, temps, the trajectory, and their ETA. “You have relatives down there? A loved one?”

He smiled ruefully. “My mom has been dead for sixteen years. I never knew my dad - some Scout she met. No girlfriend. But, I am looking to buy an aquaculture farm and a beach house there some day. This patrol will help. How about you?”

“I have family on Regina My dad is retired Navy. I miss him. Two brothers. No boyfriend. This lifestyle is hard that way.”

“Tell me about it,” sighed Axe. Roup didn’t look bigger but it felt closer now. “If moms don’t count, I’m not doing well in the female relationship department, XO.”

“Terry,” she said absentmindedly. “And mom’s count a lot. I didn’t really have one.”

Axe nodded. “Alright, Terry. You probably get off watch at four and we dock at nine. I’ll drive you down at ten so you can finish sleeping while I dodge clouds and lizards. Bring a swimsuit. You’ll wake up on a beach listening to waves and we’ll have two hours to soak up sun.”

She shuddered. “I don’t know. I’ll have to ask the Captain…”

Axe shook his head. “It was his idea. He’s worked you hard and is worried about it. He said you deserved it and would be safer with me than regular crew.”

She felt her reserve crumbling. She hadn’t been on a beach in years. “There are rules about fraternization….”

“And I know them well. This isn’t a date, just a break. And it’s only two hours.”

She was still arguing with herself when she heard her words. “What makes you think I’d want to go…after so little sleep?”

“Sunshine. On a beach. I know this world. But, if you’re too tired….”

He waited.

“Axe, get off my bridge. I don’t want my taxi driver getting sleepy.” Terry shook her head at what she’d just agreed to do.

“On it. You won’t regret it, XO. I promise.” It would be a short night and he headed for his bunk.

Chapter 2 Roup

Terry was not one to doze while another piloted. But Axe had a gift and handled the ship's boat with a graceful ease. They banked gently and he matched the plotted trajectory so precisely that she soon drifted off.

A gentle bump nudged her awake and she looked out to see green mountains and an ocean beyond their rustic landing field. Axe disappeared behind her as she took it all in.

“Your turn.” Axe was now dressed in a light brown jump suit without sleeves, showing a huge scar down his right arm, and she suspected a swimsuit underneath. Interestingly, he was not armed.

He kept his eyes averted while she unbelted her seat harness and then changed self-consciously into a swimsuit and sleeveless blue coveralls, wondering the whole time what she was doing. Then he handed her a filter mask. She wrinkled her nose but they both strapped one on. “Not poisonous, but you’ll want it.”

Outside the sun was warm and a gentle breeze touched her bare arms. Axe looked ahead and motioned her to follow. He had a small canvass bag.

They walked across the sandy landing field through a fence with a gate and single armed customs agent to a bustling market. He led her with purpose through the shops to a small jewelry store with a dwelling above, then stopped outside.

“Don’t you want to go inside?” she asked recognizing its significance. The mask gave her a slightly higher pitch with a metallic twang.

“No. It’s not my mom’s anymore.”

She nodded. There was pain in his voice despite the mask.

He led her to another shop that looked nearly identical.

“Scott!” a woman squealed when he went in. She was old and jolly and smothered him in hugs. Her mask and dress were bright and contained every color.

“And who is this?” she asked smothering Terry as well.

“Terry,” she introduced herself when Axe hesitated, shaking the woman’s hand as she withdrew.

“I’m Mamanito. I loved Scott’s mom. We used to have dinner on Carvers Beach every night when the kids were little. She was special that one. Strong and smart, not like me. But we were best friends. Scott was a lucky boy. My kids are all scatterbrained like their mother.”

“We’re headed to Carvers Beach now,” said Axe. “But Terry needs a necklace and ear rings so she fits in. Blue ones, not green ones, Nito.” He handed Mamanito a credit note and her eyes met his. Terry could not see the denomination.

“For you I will choose my best.” The large woman reached under the counter bringing out a matched set with intricate linkage and posts. She helped Terry put them on. There were more hugs as they left, some tears, and promises to come again.

“Scott?” Terry asked, eyes twinkling.

“Only Nito still called me that after the fight…sometimes. I recovered my mom’s jewelry and the three thieves did not escape. But I used their own axe after getting this wound and the village gave me a new name.” He shrugged.

“I will not use your real name in public. I wouldn’t want your reputation to be hurt,” she teased. “Thank you for these. They are beautiful. I hope they weren’t too expensive….”

“They weren’t,” he smiled.

The beach was sandy white and empty of visitors as he led her through a passage in the brush. It faced a gentle ocean, offered a view of a large estate to the south, and framed a distant floating aquaculture farm to the north. It was more beautiful than anything Terry had ever seen and she stopped to look and remember. A deep peace washed over her and she suddenly felt younger. Then the moment passed, but its memory would later last a lifetime.

They laid their towels out, stripped to their suits, and jumped into the water, laughing. It was almost warm and you could see your toes.

Terry was beautiful in her black bathing suit and blue necklace and ear rings. Axe was conscious of his large rib cage scar also being visible now in his green swim shorts but Terry did not mention it.

They talked about beaches, family cookouts, and distant worlds. They talked about dreams and worries. And then the two hours were over and an alarm went off in Axe’s bag.

“Thank you, Scott. We have to go back now.” Her own alarm would go off any minute. She loved that he had set one too.

He nodded. “We don’t have to rush, but we do have to go.”

“I wish there was a way to kiss you,” she said through her mask. The words slipped out before she could stop them. She would hate herself later for that.

He stood up and took her hand, leading her into chest deep water.

“Take a breath and nod when you’re ready.”

“They both took deep breaths. When she nodded he flipped the Lock switches on her mask and then his. He gestured and then dropped below the surface, taking off his mask. It took her a second to see what he had done and then understand. She submerged and removed her mask.

They kissed. It was salty and warm, fun at first and then more. His hands found her waist and and she peaked even though it stung. Then they were back up, exhaling through unlocked masks to clear them. The air tasted bad, and then it cleared.

Both were a little unsteady and silent as they walked out and toweled off. They pulled on jumpsuit and coveralls, ducked through the brush, and he led her back through the market to the gate at the field.

Axe had powered up the boat and they had removed masks before she spoke. “It’s going to be tough on the ship. Fraternization is not allowed,” she warned tentatively.

“I understand,” he replied. “I would never make trouble for you.” He made a final scan, lifted off in a delicate spiral, and called in their ETA to BRILLIANT.

“I hate that I can’t offer more. That was really special.”

“I don’t really know what I’m doing much of the time. It would help if I could follow your lead.”

She laughed. “Then we are in real trouble. Blind leading the blind at best.”

“Maybe after the patrol we can see better.”

“Yes, it’s a good thing we didn’t go any farther. I wasn’t prepared.”

He blushed. “I didn’t bring anything for it to go farther….”

She laughed again at his discomfort. “That’s not what I meant. It would be harder to hide feelings is what I meant.”

“Oh. Yes, well I’m pretty good at that, XO. I’ve made a career of it.”

Some sadness returned. “Me too, Axe.”

“Besides, we both need to focus for the next few weeks. Things are going to get dangerous. Let’s make our mistakes when we’re done.”

“I am going to make mistakes. I’m way behind other women in some things.” Like stupid mistakes, she thought. I probably just make another one and am too dumb to feel anything but happiness right now. She shook her head to clear it.

A blip appeared below and began closing. “You change first,” he suggested.

While she changed, he applied power and did not mention the large winged creature rising from below. In minutes they were already clear and too high for danger.

(To be continued....)

There are additional chapters to this story. If you like it, let me know and I will post them....